


Subject SS2

by LBibliophile



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bingo Fill, Headcanon/outline format, Hydra (Marvel), Implied/Referenced Torture, Medical Experimentation, Medical Torture, Star Spangled Bingo 2020, Supersoldier Serum, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:07:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27147779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LBibliophile/pseuds/LBibliophile
Summary: Hydra has finally managed to achieve something they have been dreaming of since WWII: the capture of Captain America. But what to do with him? The science division calls dibs. After all, there's only so much you can learn from a historical sample size of one.For:Whumptober 2020 - Day 31: ExperimentStar Spangled Bingo 2020 - Crying himself to sleep
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9
Collections: Star Spangled Bingo 2020, Whumptober 2020





	Subject SS2

Hydra has finally managed to achieve something they have been dreaming of since their inception as an independent organisation in WWII: the capture of Captain America. But time has marched on and – even with the failure of Project Insight – supersoldiers are increasingly obsolete technology. Hydra’s remaining heads are more interested in finding the next great innovation. The man was an obstruction, so they removed him; nothing more.

Yet waste not, want not. Since the Captain has so-inconsiderately caused the previous occupant to go rogue, they plan on just shoving him in the cryochamber until one of the higher-ups can decide if they want to try and break him or kill him to make an example. So when the science division asks for him instead, they are quite willing to pass him over and make him their problem.

You see, among certain circles of Hydra scientists, there has been a longstanding academic debate over the properties of the supersoldier serum versus the winter soldier serum, particularly it's healing/regenerative abilities. They've run plenty of tests on the Winter Soldier over the decades, but this is their first chance to get real data on the original version. And they are all over that.

They have Rogers’ original records, of course, and Shield's results from when they thawed him (how do you think they knew how to thaw him safely? They’d had practice.). But that's all basic data, really; they're looking for something a bit more comprehensive. It still comes in handy of course. By comparing his base scores with the Winter Soldier data, they decide it's safe enough to skip the whole slow build-up of determining resiliency. Instead, they can jump straight to the really _interesting_ tests.

After all, the whole advantage to playing with supersoldiers is that they can survive things ordinary men wouldn't.

* * *

The Hydra scientists might be having fun, but Steve decidedly is _not_.

Most of his brain is occupied with a litany of 'owowgoddamnitow'; with occasional asides into ' _damn_ Hydra to _hell_ ', 'ugh, I should _not_ be able to see that part of my insides' and 'this is what I get for being sloppy enough to let them grab me'.

But when he is shoved back in his cell, safely packed away as they prepare for the next round, the quiet gives him space to think. And his thoughts take a different path. He remembers snatches of overheard conversation between the HYDRA techs; talk of reference points and comparisons and ‘last time’ and ‘the other one’. He remembers the way they casually compensated for his strength and healing speed; specialised equipment and restraints that were clearly old and much-used.

He puts together the pieces. He had known, of course, but now he _knows_.

Pain is only pain, and his body will heal. But that understanding… the grief, the anger and remorse, wound him where the serum cannot reach.

For all Hydra’s efforts, the thing that makes Captain America cry - tears trickling down his face as exhaustion drags him into unconsciousness - is the understanding of what his friend has suffered.

When they come for him again, the thing that makes Steve Rogers stand - glaring his defiance, determined to endure whatever they do next - is the understanding of what his friend has survived.


End file.
